Martin Odegaard: Arsenal captain to miss North London derby against Tottenham with ankle injury | Football News

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is likely to miss Sunday’s North London derby in a tough week for the Gunners after he suffered an ankle injury while playing for Norway.

Odegaard was stretchered off the field after injuring his ankle during a Nations League match with Austria.

Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken told the broadcaster this TV2: “Things didn’t look good in the dressing room either.”

Team doctor Ola Sand added: “He has a small ankle sprain. We’ll see throughout the evening and (Tuesday) what happens next and what we’re going to do about it.”

More details on the severity of the injury are expected to emerge later on Tuesday. But it now seems highly unlikely that Odegaard will face Tottenham on Sunday, with Mikel Arteta set to be stripped of his entire midfield for the match, live on Sky Sport.

New acquisition Mikel Merino broke his shoulder during his first training session for the club and is not expected to make his debut until October, while Declan Rice has been suspended for his strange dismissal against Brighton.

Odegaard’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time either, with Arsenal opening their Champions League campaign at Atalanta on Thursday night, before a quick substitute appearance at Manchester City on Sunday, live on Sky Sport.

Leandro Trossard is the most obvious candidate to replace Odegaard. If Trossard were to be used again, it could pave the way for loan signings Raheem Sterling to make his first starting role for Arsenal on the left wing at Tottenham.

But that would still leave Arteta with a selection dilemma to fill Rice’s role as a left winger. Gabriel Jesus’ to cause one’s own injury, it seems likely Kai Havertz will stay in front, so Oleksandr Zinchenko may need to move to a higher level.

Why Arsenal Can’t Afford to Lose Odegaard

Sam Blitz from Sky Sports:

Arsenal have one player in the team they cannot do without and that is the captain. Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian midfielder is the heartbeat of the team and his world-class performances both with and without the ball are not only crucial to Mikel Arteta’s team but are also unmatched anywhere else in the squad.

Odegaard was the most creative player in the Premier League last season, with the Arsenal captain surpassing the expected assists figure of 11.17. The only player to come close to that figure was team-mate Bukayo Saka, who notched 11.

But it is his role in Arsenal’s pressing where Odegaard is so vital. No player won more possession in the final third than he did last season, while only five players managed more pressure that resulted in a turnover than the Gunners midfielder.

Even more worryingly, Arsenal are facing a serious midfield crisis ahead of Sunday’s North London derby against Tottenham, which can be seen live on Sky Sport. Mikel Merino has been out for a while with a broken shoulder, while Declan Rice has been suspended for the match after his red card against Brighton.

With Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira set to leave during the transfer window, Arsenal are left with a worrying deficit in midfield. Thomas Partey – not always reliable in terms of fitness – is now a guaranteed starter. Arteta must choose who from Jorginho, Kai Havertz And Leandro Trossard could play alongside him in the role of number 8 if Odegaard ends up on the absentee list.

The Arsenal manager could also call on youth, with Ethan Nwaneri And Myles Lewis-Skelly – both yet to make a Premier League start for the Gunners – to impress in pre-season. Ben White, Jurrien Timber And Oleksandr Zinchenko also have experience in midfield and often end up in that area of ​​the field as an inverted back.

But for Arsenal the situation is not ideal. In the first seven days after the international break they play three busy away games against Tottenham Hotspur, Atalanta and Manchester City.

They have already dropped points against Brighton this season and may not want to make any further mistakes in the brutal title race with Man City.

Seven games in 21 days – Arsenal face a busy month

September 15: Tottenham (A), Premier League, live on Sky Sportstart 2:00 PM

September 19: Atalanta (A), Champions League, kick-off 8:00 PM

September 22: Man City (A), Premier League, live on Sky Sportstart 4.30 pm

September 25: Bolton (home), Carabao Cup third round, live on Sky Sport+start 7.45 pm

September 28: Leicester (home), Premier League, kick-off 3pm

October 1st: Paris Saint-Germain (home), Champions League, kick-off 8:00 p.m.

October 5: Southampton (home), Premier League, kick-off 3pm